Optimising Existing Infrastructure: A Catalyst for ASEAN's Energy Transition

Behind every green energy transition lies a practical reality: existing power infrastructure must be made cleaner while societies build their renewable future. In Southeast Asia, German company Pentol is mastering this critical middle ground.

Southeast Asia faces twin pressures of skyrocketing energy demands driven by population growth and economic development, alongside mounting expectations to decarbonise. For many ASEAN nations, the transition away from fossil fuels presents a complex challenge—one that requires both long-term vision and practical, immediate solutions.

Olivier Blauenstein, CEO of Pentol, believes his company's catalyst technology offers a pragmatic approach to this transition, enabling power producers to significantly reduce emissions while maximising efficiency from existing infrastructure.

"If you want to make power generation more green, you have of course a strategy for the new plants that should be built and you have the strategy for whatever is already existing," explains Blauenstein. "What we do is we help to increase the efficiency on existing plants."

Making Existing Power Plants Greener

With 56 years of experience in the power industry, Pentol specialises in combustion optimisation across various applications—from conventional power plants to gas turbines, diesel engines, and cement facilities. Their approach involves introducing catalysts into the combustion process to neutralise deposits and reduce corrosion in furnaces and boilers.

"Our company's slogan is 'increase efficiency and reduce emissions at the same time,'" Blauenstein emphasises. "With more efficient combustion processes, we save money and reduce emissions simultaneously."

This is particularly valuable in Southeast Asia's cost-sensitive markets, where environmental improvements often need to demonstrate clear economic advantages to gain traction. The catalysts work by enhancing heat transfer within the combustion zone, ensuring more of the energy produced is captured for generating steam rather than wasted through the chimney.

"You will use the energy produced to actually generate steam and not waste it through the chimney," Blauenstein explains. "With higher efficiency in this process, of course, you will burn less fuel and generate less CO2 to create the same electricity."

For power producers in ASEAN nations, where many facilities operate on tight margins, this efficiency improvement translates directly to their bottom line while simultaneously addressing growing regulatory and social pressure to reduce emissions. It's a solution that aligns environmental and economic interests—a crucial factor in accelerating adoption across the region.

A Practical Step Toward Decarbonisation

While the ultimate goal for many countries is transitioning to renewables, Blauenstein points out the practical financial constraints of immediate transformation.

"If you have an infinite amount of money available to produce your power stations, then you can shift to renewables immediately," he notes. "Should these financial resources not be infinite and you still want to use the old plants that are already existing, I think it's a good start to make these more green."

This pragmatic approach resonates particularly in Southeast Asia, where fossil fuels are projected to remain a significant part of the energy mix for decades to come. Blauenstein cites a successful example from Kuwait, where Pentol's technology was showcased during the 2015 World Exhibition in Milan as part of the country's commitment to reducing CO2 emissions.

"If I can reduce 2% of CO2 on an existing plant without a huge investment, that is a really great start to show in your CO2 balance," he explains.

Waste-to-Energy: A Double Environmental Win

Looking toward the future, Blauenstein sees enormous potential in waste-to-energy facilities across ASEAN markets. Drawing on decades of European experience with waste incineration technology, he believes similar facilities could address multiple environmental challenges throughout Asia.

"What I like about waste incinerators is that the energy source is basically free. We produce it daily," Blauenstein says. "We solve a huge environmental problem when we turn this mass of waste into energy."

Beyond reducing CO2 emissions, waste-to-energy plants offer additional environmental benefits by tackling waste management challenges—a significant issue in many rapidly developing urban centres across Southeast Asia.

Pentol's technology enhances these facilities by helping "burn waste nicer, quicker, more efficiently and reducing corrosion at the same time," according to Blauenstein.

Challenges in Implementation

Despite the clear benefits, Blauenstein acknowledges the cultural and infrastructural challenges in transitioning to systems like waste-to-energy.

"It requires some energy to change from one system to another," he explains. "If you have been working for years just throwing away the waste in a river, for example, you have to start changing the people to collect the waste, to bring it somewhere, and then to build the structures to create energy out of it."

This transition requires strong governmental leadership and public education—a long but necessary process that could yield significant environmental and economic benefits for ASEAN nations.

Looking Ahead

As Southeast Asia continues its energy transition journey, companies like Pentol offer technologies that can make immediate impacts while complementing longer-term renewable strategies. By optimising combustion processes in existing infrastructure, power producers can reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and extend the useful life of assets—buying valuable time for the development of renewable alternatives.

Pentol will be showcasing their technologies at Enlit Asia 2025 in Bangkok later this year. If you would like to find out more, contact them directly through this link https://www.pentol.net/contact/